Motor-vehicle.



No. 684,733. Patented Oct. I5, IQUI. G. E.-WARRENl MOTOR VEHICL E.

(Application filed Sept. 29, 1900.)

(No Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheett I.

WITNESSEE- INVENTEIFK No. 684,733. Patented Oct l5. l 9D-l.

a. E. WARREN.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application filed Sept. 29, 1900.)

(Np Model.) 5 Sheets-$heet 2.

W INVENTUR 4&7l/ jilawgaw w m: mums PETERS co, PHOTO-LITNO. WASHINGTON.ov a No. 684,733. Patented Oct. l5, IOOI.

G. E. WARREN. MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application filed Sept. 29, 1900.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3..

IIIIII/IIIIIIIIIIII WITNESSES INVENTEIH n4: scams PEYEHS ca.vnoro-Ll'mo. wnnmcmn. n. c.

No. 684,733. Patented Oct. 15, 190i. G. E. WARREN.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application filed Sept. 29, 190.0.)

\A/ITNEEEEE IN\/ENTEIF\ fizzmsmnsmu. o. c.

G. E. WARREN.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

Patented Oct. 15, l90l.

(Application filed Sept. 29, 1900.)

(No Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

.INVENTUR 423% g UNrTnn STATns ATnNT Triton.

GEORGE E. YVARREN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

E IC N forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,733, dated October 15,1901.

Application filed September 29, 1900. Serial No. 31,513. (No model.)

To ctZZ whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. WVARREN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor-Vehicles; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invent-ion relates to motor-vehicles, and more particularlyto the steering mechanism of such vehicles.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved mounting for themovable wheeljournals of a motor-vehicle and an improved mechanism foractuating the journals,whereby the vehicle can be easily guided aridcontrolled.

It has heretofore been proposed to pivotally mount the journals of thefront or rear wheels of a motor-vehicle upon their axle and to pro= videmechanism connecting with a steering handle or lever for turning thewheel-journals upon their pivots to control the direction of travel ofthevehicle. In many of such motorvehicles, however, the pivots of thewheeljournals have been situated at one side of the plane of the wheels,and the control of the vehicle has thereby been rendered difficult onaccount of the tendency of the wheel-journals to turn about their pivotswhen an obstruction is encountered. This tendency increases with thedistance of the pivot from the medial plane of the wheel, as the forceacting upon the wheel when an obstruction is encountered acts in themedial plane of the wheel, and the farther the pivot is removed fromthis plane the longer is the lever-arm through which the force acts onthe wheel-journal. In vehicles so constructed it is found to beimpossible to hold the wheel-journals from vibrating, and the vibrationsbeing transmitted to the steering-handle render the guiding of thevehicle diflicult and tiresome. Moreover,the strength required to holdthe wheel-journals approximately steady is considerable.

In many motor-vehicles as heretofore constructed the steering-handle hasbeen connected with the mechanism for actuating the wheel-journals, sothat the vertical vibrations of the axle have been transmitted to thesteering handle, thereby interfering with the proper manipulation of thehandle and adding to the difficulty of guiding the vehicle.

For overcoming the above objections and providing a vehicle easilyguided and controlled at all times my invention contemplates an improvedmounting for the wheeljournals with the pivots arranged in the me dialplane of the wheels and for actuating said journals a mechanism, part ofwhich is supported by the axle and part by the vehicle body, withconnections allowing a relative Vertical movement of parts of suchmechanism.

To the above ends my invention consists in the devices and combinationsof devices hereinafter described and claimed- In the drawingsaccompanying this application, wherein is illustrated a preferred formof my invention, Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of amotor-vehicle embodying the same. Fig. 2 is a plan view with thevehiclebody and supporting-spring removed. Fig. 3 is a sectional view onthe line 3 3, Fig. 4:.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the front portion of the vehicleshown in Fig. l, a portion of the wheel being broken away to show theunderlying parts. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of that part of thesteering mech* anism which is supported by the vehicle-body. Fig. 6 is asectional view on the line 6 6, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a detail sectionalView on the line 7 7, Fig. 2, showing one of the wheeljournals and aportion of its actuating mechanism, and Fig. 8 is a sectional view onthe line 8 8, Fig. 7. 7

Referring to the drawings, in which like characters of referenceindicate like parts, 1 designates a vehicle-body supported at its frontend from an axle 2 by means of aspring 3.

To form a light and strong aXle adapted to support the parts to behereinafter referred to, I preferably construct the axle 2 of a centralcasting 4 and two end castings 5, united by tubes 6. The ends of thetubes are seated over projections on the castings and brazed thereto,the whole forming a rigid trussframe. On the castings 5, forming theends of the axle 2, are pivotally mounted the wheeljournals, as will nowbe described. In the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8, 7 desig natesa frame pivotally mounted upon the Lid The sleeve 12 extends inwardlyover the casting 5, being separated therefrom a sufficient distance toallow the frame 7 and the journal carried thereby to be moved on thepivot-pin 8.

14 designates the wheel-hub, provided with suitable bearing-surfaces,rollers 15 and 16, supported in suitable cages, being interposed betweensuch surfaces and the sleeve 12 and stud 13. The cage for the rollers 15is held in position between a shoulder on the sleeve 12 and a circularflange 16 of an annular plate 17, secured to the inner end of the huband projecting inwardly to the end of the sleeve '12 to form adust-guard for the bearing. The cage for the rollers 16 is held inposition between the frame 7 and a washer 18, forming a part of thebearing for taking up the end thrust to be described.

As ameans for taking up the end thrust I provide a roller-bearingconveniently constructed as follows: The outer end of the hub 14 isbored out to form a seat of greater diameter than the bearingcooperating with the stud 13, and in said seat are positioned the washer18, the sleeve 19, provided with the central flange 20, and the washer21, the washers and sleeve beingheld in position by anexternally-threaded ring 22, engaging a thread cut in the outerend ofthe bore of the hub. A washer 23, secured to the outer end of thestud 13by means of a nut 24, extends between the washers 18 and 21, balls 25,held in suitable cages, being interposed between the washers. The cagesfor the balls are held between the washers 18 and 21 and the flange ofthe sleeve 19. The cages for the balls are not shown on the drawings,but it is believed that the manner in which they are supported will bereadily understood, and as the specific construction of this bearingforms no part of my present invention the illustration contained inFigs. 7 and 8 is deemed sufficient. A cap 26, screwed into the end ofthe hub 14, serves as a dust-guard for the bearing and imparts afinished appearance to the hub.

It will be seen that the pivot-pin is situated in the medial plane ofthe wheel, and is thus in the line of the force acting upon the wheelwhen an obstruction is encountered. All tendency of the wheel-journal toturn on its pivot due to this cause is therefore avoided.

All constructions heretofore devised, so far as I am advised as to thestate of the art, in

. which the pivot -pin has been situated within a line at an angle tothe axle.

This defect is overcome in the construction above described by theengagement of the flange or web 10 with the slot 11 in the end of theaxle, the thrust tending to break or shear off the pin being taken bythe flange and slotted end of the axle instead of by the pin, as inprior constructions. The casting 5, forming the end of the axle, can bemade wide enough in a vertical direction to give the necessary strengthand narrow enough in a horizontal direction to allow the wheeljournal toturn without unduly enlarging the wheel-hub.

As a convenient means for actuating the wheeljournals I provide the websof the frames '7 with segmental gears 27, meshing with segmental gears28, carried by belleranks 29, pivoted in the slots in the castings 5. Asshown, the ends of the sleeves 12 and inner edges of the plates 17 arebeveled to avoid contact with the racks 28. Links connect thebell-cranks 29 with an arm 31, secured to a short vertical shaft 32,mounted in bearings formed in the outer ends of two studs 33 and 34:,secured to the central casting of the axle 2. The links 30 pass throughthe axle 2 from one side to the other, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. Byrotating the shaft 32 it will be evident that the wheel-journals will besimultaneously turned in the same direction through the connectionsabove described. The connections of the links 30 to the arm 31 are suchthat the inside wheel is turned through a greater angle than the outsidewheel to bring each wheel normal to the radius of the curve on which ittravels. This construction is clearly shown in Fig. 2, in which it willbe seen that the links 30 are separately pivoted to the arm 31 at equaldistances from the shaft 32. If the shaft 32 is actuated to swing thearm 31 to the right, as

viewed in the figure, the pivot at the left will move in a linesubstantially parallel with the axle while the pivot at the right willmove in A greater 1ongitudinal movement will thus be given to the link30 at the left, and the wheel at the left, which is the inside wheel inthis case, will be turned through a greater angle. As a means forrotating the shaft 32 Ipivot to the upper end of the shaft a crank-arm35 and pivotally connect this crank-arm with a crank-arm 36, pivoted tothe lower end of a shaft 37, journaled in the bottom of the vehicle 1.The bearing for the shaft 37 (see Fig. 5) consists of a sleeve-bushing38, provided with a flange secured to the bottom of the vehicle byscrews 39. The shaft is held in the bushing by means of a shoulderengaging the upper end of the bushing and'a collar 10, secured to theshaft, engaging the lower end of the bushing. The shaft is hollow andthe connection be tween the shaft and the crank-=arm 36 is formed by ablock 41, to which the crankcrank-arms and all vibration ofsteering-lever 42 due to this cause avoided.

The vehicle which I have illustrated in the drawings is provided with asteam-boiler supported upon bars connecting the front and rear axles,these bars being supported from the front axle by means of a framepivoted thereto. The boiler is held firmly in position on thesupporting-bars by braces connecting the boiler and pivoted frame, aswill be described.

43 designates a plate orblock pivotallysup ported on the central casting4 of the axle by means of a projecting cylindrical portion 44, engaginga correspondiugly-shaped seat in the casting 4, and by means of the stud34, passing through a hole in the block concentric with the cylindricalportion. The plate 43 is substantially rectangular and is provided ateach corner with a lug or projection 45. Bolted to the upper projectionsand extendin g upwardly to the boiler are braces 46, these braces beingjoined to and forming part of a band 46, surrounding the boiler andclamped thereto by a bolt 47. projections and extending horizontallybeneath the bottom of the boiler to the rear axle are bars 48. A bar 49is also bolted to each of the projections 45, said bars extendingparallel with the axle on each side of the central casting 4. The endsof the two bars on each side are bolted" together and to a brace 50,extending upwardly to the boiler and secured to the band 46 The ends ofthe braces 50, to which the bars 49 are bolted, are turned into a planeparallel with the axle and engage guideways 51 on the axle. The plate 43and bars 49 constitute a frame mounted on a horizontal pivot extendingtransversely to the axle, to which the braces 46, bars 49, and braces 50are attached. By the construction described the lower end of the boileris firmly braced and supported from the axle and at the same time theaxle is allowed to tip without moving the boiler.

The operation of the different portions of the apparatus has beenindicated in the description of their construction and will be readilyunderstood without a separate description thereof.

The specific construction illustrated in the drawings and abovedescribed embodies my invention in its preferred form; but it is to beunderstood that it is not limited thereto,

Bolted to the lower but that many changes may be made in the form andarrangements of the parts without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by- Letters Patent, is-

1. A motor-vehicle, having, in combination, an axle, a wheel-journalcomprising a frame pivotally mounted thereon, the pivot of said framebeing in the medial plane of the wheel, a flange on said frame enteringa slot in the axle, and means for actuating the wheeljournal,substantially as described.

2. A motor-vehicle, having, in combination, an axle, a wheel-journalcomprising a frame pivotally mounted thereon, the pivot for the framebeing in the medial plane of the wheel, a flange on said frame enteringa slot in the axle and provided with a segmental gear, a bell-crankmounted in said slot provided with a segmental gear meshing with thefirst-mentioned gear, and a steering-handle and intermediate connectionsfor actuating the bellcrank, substantially as described.

3. A motor-vehicle, having, in combination, a wheel-journal comprising aframe pivoted thereto, the pivot for the frame being in the medial planeof the wheel, a flange on said frame entering a slot in the axle, alever mounted in said slot, connections between the flange and the leverand a steering-handle and intermediate connections for actuating thelever, substantially as described.

4. A motor-vehicle, having, in combination, an axle, wheel-journalspivotally mounted thereon, bell-crank levers pivotally mounted on theaxle, connections between the levers and wheel-journals, a shaftjonrnaled on the axle, an arm secured thereto, links connecting the armand levers, a shaft mounted on the vehicle-body, and connectionsallowinga relative vertical movement of the shafts without rotation forrotating said first-mentioned shaft from said last-mentioned shaft,substantially as described.

5. A motor rehicle, having, in combination, an axle, wheel-journalspivotally mounted thereon, bell-crank levers pivotally mounted on theaxle, connections between the levers and wheel-journals, a shaftjournaled on the axle, an arm secured thereto, links connec ing the armand levers, a shaft mounted on the vehicle-body, means for actuatingsaid shaft and crank-arms pivotally connected to said shafts and to eachother, substantially as described.

6. A motor-vehicle, having, in combination, an axle, comprising centraland end castings and connecting-tubes forming a truss-frame,wheel-journals pivoted in slots in the end castings, bell-crank leverspivoted in said slots engaging the journals, an arm pivoted to thecentral casting, links passing through the axle connecting the arm andlevers, and means for actuating the arm, substantially as described,

7. A motor-vehicle, having, in combination, an axle, a frame mounted ona horizontal pivot extending transversely to the axle, a boiler,supporting-bars extending from said frame beneath'the boiler and bracesconnecting the boiler and frame, substantially as described. H

g 8. Amotor-vehicle,having,in combination, an axle, a frame mounted on ahorizontal pivot extending transversely to the axle, guides for saidframe carried by the axle, a boiler, supporting-bars extending from saidframe beneath the boiler, and braces connecting the boiler and frame,substantially as described.

'9. A motor-Vehicle, having, in combination,

and guides for the ends of said braces carried by the axle,substantially as described.

10. A motor-Vehicle, having, in combination, an axle, wheel-journals,each comprising a frame pivotally mounted thereon, the pivot for theframe being in the medial plane of the wheel, a flange on each frameenteringa slot in the axle and provided with a segmental gear, abell-crank mounted in each slot provided with a segmental gear meshingwith the first-mentioned gear, a shaft journaled on the axle, an armsecured thereto, links connecting the arm and bell-cranks, a shaftmounted on the vehicle body, means for actuating said shaft andcrank-arms pivotally connected to said shafts and to each other,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. WARREN.

Witnesses:

FRED O. FISH, HORACE VAN EVEREN.

